Insurance Underwriting Executive Search

Hire underwriting leaders who protect margin and accelerate profitable growth

Lyneer Search Group partners with insurance organizations to recruit underwriting leaders who can balance risk selection, pricing discipline, portfolio strategy, and broker relationships—without sacrificing speed to market.

We run confidential retained and interim searches for underwriting executives across specialty, program, and multi-line portfolios, helping you hire leaders who strengthen underwriting governance while driving sustainable premium growth.

Typical searches include:

• Head of Underwriting / Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) – direct reports and functional leaders
• VP / Director of Underwriting (Specialty, Program, E&S, Excess Casualty, Professional Lines)
• Program Underwriting Leaders (MGA/MGU partnerships, delegated authority programs)
• Portfolio / Product Underwriting Leadership (profitability, appetite, rate actions)
• Underwriting Operations Leadership (controls, workflow, quality, execution)

Ready to discuss an underwriting hire?

Request a confidential search consult.

Underwriting searches require more than “candidate matching”

Underwriting leadership performance is measured in outcomes—loss ratio, combined ratio contribution, rate adequacy, portfolio mix, broker performance, and adherence to authority. The hiring risk is high: a mis-hire can create multi-quarter profitability drag, operational disruption, and reputational exposure.

Lyneer’s underwriting search process is designed to reduce that risk by validating both technical underwriting judgment and commercial leadership.

What we evaluate in underwriting leaders

We assess candidates against a role-specific scorecard built around the realities of your book, distribution model, and growth plan. Common evaluation dimensions include:

Portfolio strategy and risk selection

• Appetite clarity, segmentation, and governance
• Decision quality under uncertainty (evidence of disciplined trade-offs)
• Portfolio monitoring: actions taken based on performance signals

Profitability and performance management

• Loss ratio drivers and remediation approach
• Rate actions, underwriting levers, and measurable turnaround outcomes
• Experience managing cycle dynamics (hard/soft market adjustments)

Broker and program relationship leadership

• Broker strategy, pipeline quality, and negotiation effectiveness
• Experience with delegated authority / program oversight (where relevant)
• Executive presence in quarterly performance reviews and audits

Leadership and operating cadence

• Underwriter development, coaching, and team productivity
• Underwriting authority frameworks and referral discipline
• Cross-functional collaboration (claims, actuarial, finance, operations)

Roles we recruit across insurance underwriting

We support underwriting searches aligned to your lines, structure, and trading model, including:

• Specialty underwriting leadership (E&S and admitted)
• Program underwriting leadership (delegated authority oversight)
• Multi-line portfolio leadership
• Underwriting governance and controls leadership
• Underwriting operations leadership (workflow, quality, execution)

If you are hiring for a niche product or distribution model, we will tailor the search profile and outreach strategy accordingly.

When insurance organizations typically engage us for underwriting leadership

You’ll usually see underwriting leadership demand spike when:

• Premium growth is outpacing underwriting controls
• Loss ratio deterioration requires experienced remediation
• A new product launch needs a leader who can build appetite and guardrails
• Broker/program performance needs tighter oversight
• The organization is expanding into a new market or region
• A confidential replacement is required

How our underwriting executive search process works

1) Discovery and scorecard

We calibrate the search to your portfolio, distribution model, underwriting authority, and profitability goals. You receive a role scorecard and outreach plan before sourcing begins.

2) Targeted market outreach

We leverage a direct outreach strategy to reach both active and passive underwriting leaders—especially those not applying to public postings.

3) Structured assessment

Candidates are assessed for underwriting judgment, performance history, leadership behaviors, and stakeholder management. We validate outcomes with reference checks aligned to your scorecard.

4) Shortlist and decision support

You receive a high-signal shortlist, interview guidance, and offer/closing support—designed to reduce cycle time and improve acceptance.

Explore underwriting talent and openings

Looking for candidates now? View current Underwriting Jobs and submit a confidential resume.

If you’re hiring underwriting leadership—whether for growth, remediation, or a confidential transition—Lyneer Search Group can help you move quickly with confidence.